AN APPEAL for a woman who lost an employment tribunal after claiming she was sacked because of her Christian beliefs will be heard tomorrow.

Kristie Higgs, aged 46, was suspended from her pastoral administrator role at Farmors School, Fairford, in 2019 after sharing Facebook posts criticising plans to teach LGBT relationships in primary schools.

Higgs, supported by the Christian Legal Centre, took the school to an employment tribunal arguing she had been unlawfully discriminated against because of her Christian beliefs.

The school denied dismissing Higgs because of her religious beliefs and said she was sacked because of language used in the posts.

Employment judge Derek Reed said: “Proceedings taken against Mrs Higgs were motivated by a concern... she would be perceived as holding unacceptable views in relation to gay and trans people – views which in fact she vehemently denied that she did hold.”

Higgs’ appeal will be heard at the Employment Appeal Tribunal in London, on March 16 for two days.

Ahead of the hearing Higgs said: “I am relieved that the opportunity to appeal is here. 

“I shared these posts as a mother who was deeply concerned about the compulsory sex education being forced on my nine-year-old son at a Church of England primary school.

“I want parents to have the freedom to bring their children up in line with their Christian beliefs, I want young children to be protected from this harmful ideology.”

The mother-of-two shared and commented on posts which raised concerns about relationship education at her son’s Church of England primary school.

Pupils were to learn about the No Outsiders In Our School programme, a series of books teaching the Equality Act in primary schools.

One said: "This is a vicious form of totalitarianism aimed at suppressing Christianity and removing it from the public arena.”

A complaint was made to the school and Higgs was dismissed for gross misconduct.

Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “Kristie was dismissed, not for the posts she made, but for a deliberately distorted and unkind interpretation of the content that she linked to.

“We hope and pray for a fair hearing this week and for Kristie to finally receive justice.”